Psalm 23:1 and Philippians 4:10-20

      The second Noble Truth of Buddhism stipulates that all suffering is caused by wanting.  Our cravings as humans lead to discontent.  From a Buddhist perspective, desire is the enemy of human happiness.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17, ESV).

       Like many of you, I am struggling with the recent events in Uvalde, Texas. There is something about the murders of young innocents that shatters the soul. My response in no way minimizes the deaths of the ten shoppers at a grocery market in Buffalo, New York, and the victims of the shooting rampage at a church in Laguna Woods, California the week before. The lives of all these souls and their families will be changed forever.

 [My people] insist on turning away from me. They will cry out because of the yoke that is on them, but no one will lift it from them. “How can I give you up, Israel? How can I abandon you? Could I ever destroy you as I did Admah, or treat you as I did Zeboiim? My heart will not let me do it! My love for you is too strong. Hosea 11:7-8, GNT

The next day Jesus wanted to go into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and the Prophets: Jesus, Joseph’s son, from Nazareth.” Nathanael responded, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?” Philip said, “Come and see” (John 1:43-46, MSG).

       Last Sunday, I alluded to the distinction between taking care of others and caring for others. As parents, we are charged with the responsibility to take care of our children until they can take care of themselves. Apart from a failure to launch, this mark of maturity should reach its fulfillment by adulthood.